As firefighters throughout Canada mark Fire Prevention Week, emergency responders in Kitchener are raising concerns about common household items that could present unexpected risks. Lithium-ion batteries are found in many devices, such as phones, laptops and even rechargeable electric toothbrushes. “Generally speaking, a lithium-ion battery is very safe if you follow certain rules,” Franz Tschoegl, Kitchener Fire’s public education officer, explained. “One of the main rules is that if you’re using a charger and a cord, make sure it’s the charger and cord that the manufacturer recommends.” Damage, manufacturing defects, overcharging and even using an incompatible charger can cause the batteries to burst into flame through a process known as “thermal runaway.” “One little battery inside will overheat. When it overheats, it catches fire,” Tschoegl said. Some devices, like phones, have multiple batteries. “There’s probably another 10, 20, 30, 100 batteries around it. That’s what makes [lithium-ion battery fires] so violent. It doesn’t stop,” Tschoegl said. Lithium-ion batteries can also be found in e-scooters and e-bikes. “They’re exposed to the elements. So, over time, the battery degrades,” Tschoegl said. “Make sure that if you’re charging e-scooters and e-bicycles, don’t charge them near exits and doorways because if they ever do catch fire, it’s violent and it’s very quick and your escape route is going to be cut off if it is near an exit,” he said. Vape recycling As vaping became popular, e-vapes presented another problem. “Increasingly the batteries in them are powerful,” Clayton Miller from IT asset disposition and e-waste recycling company Quantum Lifecycle Partners LP said. “I don’t think people really think of those [batteries] when they just, ‘Oh, I’m done with my vape,’ and they throw it out.” Although throwing a vaping device into a bin might not cause an immediate problem, once it reaches the recycling stage, things can change. “They could get caught on the conveyor, it could get baled, it could get shredded. Any one of those instances is going to create a fire for that vape,” Miller said. He explained that is why is it crucial to find e-waste recycling companies that can safely handle the devices. “Call2Recycle is one of our partners. They’re the national, industry-funded body that oversees battery recycling in Canada,” Miller said. “They partner with retailers and municipalities and all kinds of organizations to collect the batteries that they then send to us for sorting and processing in a safe manner and testing.” Other fire concerns Firefighters are also encouraging everyone to check their smoke and CO alarms during Fire Prevention Week. “There’s some carbon monoxide changes this year, 2026,” Tschoegl said. “So, if you have a fossil fuel burning appliance in your home – furnace, hot water heater, that sort of thing, you need to have a carbon monoxide [alarm] on every level of your home.” Distracted cooking also remains a leading cause of fires in Canada. “You’re talking to someone outside, your neighbour, and you walk away from your cooking,” Tschoegl, said. “Especially if you’re cooking with something like grease, with oil, it can become very dangerous very quickly.” Never try to douse a grease fire with water as the water will heat up explosively, flinging burning grease into the air. Instead, smother the flames with a lid or, better yet, use a Class K fire extinguisher. Don’t lift the lid immediately after the flames have been extinguished as reintroducing oxygen too early can reignite the fire.
